Floodwaters continue to recede in Beaufort

KOTA KINABALU: Floodwaters in Sabah’s southwestern Beaufort district continue to recede with improving weather conditions.

According to officials involved in relief work, water was receding slowly with some villages still submerged despite levels starting to drop over the past two days.

A total of 2,384 people from 77 villages are still in six flood relief centres while 17 schools have remained closed since last Thursday when flood waters rose to 2m in most parts of the district.

The Beaufort-Sipitang and Limbawang roads are now passable for all vehicles.

Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman, who inspected the flood-hit areas, urged the public to remain at the temporary shelters until the flood waters had completely receded.

“We are advising flood victims to continue staying at temporary shelters if their homes and villages are still under water,” said Musa after his second visit to the district here yesterday.

The state government, he said, was closely monitoring all the affected areas, adding that those evacuated were being provided with food and basic necessities, including blankets, sleeping mats and mattresses for the elderly and the disabled.

“Every effort is being taken to coordinate resources to ensure that those people affected receive assistance,” he said, thanking various agencies for their help in the past four days.